NC Sustanaible Energy Installation Association

Action Needed! NC Clean Energy Under Attack!

Betsy McCorkle, Director of Government Affairs at the NC Sustainable Energy Association, along with Green State Power, encourage all supporters of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) to contact their representatives immediately and let them know that NC voters are in favor of renewable energy.

Dear NCSEA Members and Supporters,
 
As you may know by now, House Bill 298 was introduced yesterday to repeal NC’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).  We are working with many legislators who oppose House Bill 298, but we need you to help spread the word about this bad bill.  Please visithttp://www.ncleg.net/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx to find your local representative in the NC House or the legislators who represent your project(s) and/or company.  Please contact him or her via email or phone as soon as possible with one or more of the talking points below.  We also encourage you to include information about your specific company, projects and the jobs that are being created in local communities. It is vitally important for legislators to hear YOUR personal story in addition to talking points.   If you feel comfortable, please cc or bcc Betsy McCorkle (betsy@energync.org) on any email and forward any responses you get so that we can track our progress.
 
Thank you,
Betsy McCorkle
Director of Government Affairs
NC Sustainable Energy Association
 
 
1.  Despite claims by House Bill 298 to the contrary, clean energy policies in North Carolina will save ratepayers $173 million by 2026, according to a new study released by RTI International and La Capra Associates.  A summary of the findings and the full report is available here: http://energync.org/assets/files/Summary%20Findings(1).pdf
 
2.       The best way to encourage companies to invest and create jobs in our state is to give them certainty about polices.   House Bill 298 signals to the business and investment community that the rules are changing and their investments are no longer welcome here.   Since 2007, the total economic benefit to North Carolina from clean energy project development is $1.7 billion.  In that same time, 21,162 job years have been created (a job year is one person working in a job for one year) Source: RTI and LaCapra reported cited above.
 
3.   North Carolina has a highly-regulated electricity market where only utilities can sell power directly to consumers.  This monopoly control of our utilities limits innovation and market competition; however, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS), was the first opportunity for clean energy companies to compete and offer consumers a choice.  All of this while creating thousands of jobs, expanding business opportunities, pumping billions of dollars into our economy, and driving down the cost of clean energy resources.
 
4.   The REPS was part of a comprehensive energy law (Senate Bill 3) that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support pertaining to coal, nuclear, natural gas, renewable energy and energy efficiency.  Third reading (final) votes available here: http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2007&BillID=s3&submitButton=Go:
 
 
5.   In a recent poll conducted by Fallon Research, when 803 registered NC voters were asked if they agree or disagree that elected officials should seek more alternative and renewable energy sources, 75.7% of Republicans agreed, 89% of Democrats agreed, and 81.6% of Independents agreed.  Full poll results can be found here:http://energync.org/blog/ncsea-news/2013/02/28/republicans-democrats-and-independents-in-north-carolina-all-support-increasing-the-use-of-clean-energy-resources/